Washboard-holding means



A. W. WAGNER WASHBOARD HOLDING MEANS Filed Dec. 4 1923 Q6 Wy/r r I lbmentor,

characters AB-VY w. WAGNER, or GRAFTON, wns'r vineiivmi-WASHBOARD-HOLDING MEANS.

Application fi'led December 4, 1923. 1 Serial No. 678,465..

To all whom it may; concern:

Be it known that I, ARVY W. WAGNER, citizen of the United States,residing at Grafton, in the county of Taylor and State of West Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVashboard- HoldingMeans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to washboards and has particular reference tomeans for holding a wash board in its proper inclined position within awash tub.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a wash board holdingmeans of the above kind, which embraces the desired qualities ofsimplicity and durability of construction, as well as efficiency inoperation.

Another object of the invention is to provide awash board holding meansof the above character, which may be cheaply and easily manufactured andplaced into use, in an easy and expeditious manner, without therequirement of special tools or skill.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a washboard holdingmeans which may be readily applied to or removed from a washboard, sothat when one washboard becomes worn out, the holding means may beremoved and applied to a new one.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wash board holdingmeans comprising clamps which may be adjusted to engage wash boards ofdiflerent kinds and contour for effective operation.

Other objects will appear as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood, and the same consists in the novel form, combination, andarrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in theaccompanying drawings, and claimed.

In the drawing, wherein like reference indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a wash board operatively disposedwithin a wash tub and held in proper position by means of holding meansconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of thewashboard shown in Figure 1, and illustrating details of construction ofthe clamp members, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan View of the blank from which the plates ofthe clamp members are formed.

Referring more indetail to the drawing,

the present invention consists in the provision of right and left handclamp members of similar general construction that are secured toopposite sides of the wash board 5 adjacent the upper end of the latterin position to engage the wall of a wash tub 6 for supporting andholding said wash board in its proper inclined position.

As these clamps are of similar construe tion with the exception that oneof the same is formed to be secured upon the left hand side of the washboard, and the other for being secured to the right hand side of saidwash board, description of one of the same will suffice. As shownclearly in Figures 1 and 2, each clamp comprises a plate 7, the lowerend of which is slotted or bifurcated to provide a pair of legs 8 and 9between which the upper edge of the wash tub wall is adapted to bedisposed, the inner leg 8 forming the inner jaw of the clamp memher aswill presentlv become apparent. Rigid or integral with the inner edgeportion of the leg 9 is a laterally extending ear 10, that is preferablyformed by stamping the same from the plate 7 to form the slot or spacedbetween the legs 8 and 9, and the opening of this car 10 is screwthreaded for threaded reception of the stem of a clamping screw 11, uponthe inner end of which is ahead or jaw member 12 adapted to engage theouter surface of the wash board wall and to tightly draw the inner edgeof the leg jaw 8, into engagement with the inner surface of said washboard wall, for rigidly securing the washboard in place. The sheet metalfrom which the plate 7 is formed is preferably flexible, so that the ear10 may be flexed at any desired angle relative to the plane of the plate7 for proper engagement of the jaw 12 with the tub. When used inconnection with circular tubs as shown in Figure 1, the car 10 willextend obliquely to the transverse axis of the plate 7, so as toproperly engage the wall of said tub, while with stationary wash tubs ofrectangular form, the car 10 will extend substantially perpendicular tothe plate 7. The car 10 may be flexed manually to adapt the clamp memberto the particular form of tub, in which the wash board is to be held orsupported, and for facilitating rotation of the clamping screw 11, aknurled head or knob 13 may be provided upon the outer end of thelatter.

The manner in which the car 10 is struck from the "body of the plate 7;is shown clearly in Figure 3, and the dotted lines 14; indicate thepoint at. which the ear is bent relative to' said plate.

The upper edge of the plate 7 is prefer-- ably inclined as at 15 inaccordance with the inclination which the wash board will assume whenproperly positioned in the tub, andai thisjplate isrprovid'ed" at itsupper corner with'openingsil'ti througli which screws 17 may be passedfor being threaded into the side-bars of, the board to-secure the clampmembers rigidly to-the latter. V I

Inv operation,-the wash board,'which has beenpreviously. equipped withright and'left hand clamp members constructed in accordance with theaboveand. as-shown in 1? igure 1', is placed within the tub, so that.the wall of the latter passes between the legs spend 9 of bothclampmembers, whereby the-screw 1 1 is adjusted inwardly to engage the jawtightly with the outer surfaces of thfe'i top wall, and to draw theinner edges of the ja-wlegs '8, into tight engagement with the. innersurface of said top wall. Then this. is done-thewash board is rigidlyand effectively held in its proper inclined position, so that the personengaged in washing clothes upon the board 5 may have both hands free forfacilitating the washing operation. The clamp members will also holdthelower end of the board spaced from the wall of the tub so as to leaveconsiderable room for the clothes within the tub and for allowing freereciprocation of. the clothes upon the surfacevof the wash board.

7 Thegdevice is'efiectiveand simple in construction, as well as easily:appliedand. removed and. may be supplied tothe public at a small andnominalucost.

VVlia-t I claim a'snew is:

Wash board holding means comprising a substantially flat plate adapted'to be attached to one'of theside plates of the wash boardysaid .platehaving an ear struck out from its lower edge and bent to extend at rightangles'thereto, said ear being equipped with a screw threaded opening,and-a clamo ing screw threaded through said opening.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ARVY w. WAGNER.

